Fire Extinguishers

I use to sell and service Fire Extinguishers and everyone who had me refill theres always said it was way to small no matter how big it was, and can tell you from experience a fire out on the water you dont have one big enough!!Those 2.5  3 LB Kiddie are a joke! I throw them away!I would use at least a 5lb A, B, C remember the Chemical in them are very Corrosive and remember that if the wind is blowing the chemical is like talcum powder and blows away very easily so you have to get very close.

Halon exstighusers contain Halon of course and is a inert gas most restraunts now days use Halon for there automatic systems over the cooking area because it is inert and after it goes off and puts out the fire they can go right back to fishing, I mean cooking with out any clean up, with powder chemical everything has to be thrown away and extensive cleaning be done, again it is a light gas you cant see, smell, or taste it and can just blow away.

When I was doing this I service all the Extinguishers for the Sheriffs and Fish and Game Boats on Coeur,de Alene Lake ID. they all carried 2-5lb,one near the bow and one near the stern, Halon at that time was new and expensive.

I had a 24 ft Ocean Fisher with twin inboards and kept two 5lb Halons, one day just to show some one I opened the Engine Hatch just enough to put the nozzle in and dropped the lid back down and pulled the trigger with in one second the engine died immediately I open the engine compartment and turned the bilge blower on and reach over and the engine cranked over about 3 times and started right back up.

With a Chemical Ext. always smack it real hard on the floor or ground as you go to use it, over time they will pack the chemical in the bottom till it is hard and when you pull the trigger you will only get a couple tablespoons of chemical and the pressure blows out then you jump over board with it and use it for a flotation device LOL.

Every couple months I turn my chemical Ext. up side down and tap them pretty hard with a rubber mallet to make sure they are loose inside, dont use a metal hammer because it can chip the pain then they will rust out. Every time you go to use your boat check the pressure gauge on your Ext.